Are Dental Implants the Best Solution for Tooth Replacement?

Whether you already lost your tooth or will have one removed soon, teeth should be replaced as soon as possible. The loss of even one tooth has more implications than the obvious aesthetic—it affects your overall oral health, too.

 

Immediately after your tooth is pulled out, the jawbone around the tooth begins to retract. This process, known as resorption, is most dramatic in the first three months. Additionally, your surrounding teeth will start moving toward the vacant space, creating tiny gaps between one another. The migration of teeth makes oral hygiene more difficult, and can change the shape of your face.

 

Causes of tooth loss

 

There are many reasons why you might lose a tooth. In most cases, it’s the result of an accident. You could lose a tooth in a traffic accident or in a sport activity, or any other time you take an accidental blow to the face.

10 reasons why dental implants are the best solution

 

Research has consistently shown that dental implants are the best solution to replace the loss of a tooth. Here are nine reasons why:

 

1. A dental implant functions as an equivalent substitute for your tooth, both in appearance and function. You will feel, speak and eat just as though you had a natural tooth.
2. Longevity. With appropriate care, your implant can last forever, as compared with the dental bridge with an average lifespan of seven years.
3. Dental implants prevent the loss of bone in your jaw (resorption). In comparison to dental prosthesis or a dental bridge, implants are the only solution that keeps the bone intact, and has even shown to encourage jawbone growth.
4. Chewing is undisrupted with dental implants, as opposed to prosthesis. Your new dental implant is often even steadier than natural teeth.
5. Dental implants are not susceptible to cavities. But remember, it’s still important maintain regular oral hygiene—it’s not just for your teeth, but for your gum health, too.
6. You spare neighboring teeth from damage that happens during the construction of a dental bridge. Dental implants are also the most secure option to prevent other teeth around your mouth from shifting.
7. Dental implants in their current form are the result of decades of research, and all the newest technologies. Titanium-based implants have only been around for 30 years—this is your state-of-the-art option for tooth replacement.
8. You don’t need to add new products or tools to your oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth is the same as always.
9. You’ll keep your smile and your self-confidence intact. And with dental implants, depending on the cause of tooth loss, many patients report how their confidence and quality of life even improved after their implant.
10. In the long run, dental implants can be more cost-efficient than any alternative, because they don’t have to be replaced.

 

There are many other reasons why dental implants are the most beneficial, long-lasting and functional tooth replacement solution. And with advancing technology, there are now options to have implants placed with one surgical procedure instead of two. Each of these options starts with a consultation with your dentist.